A skilled executive search firm understands your company’s culture and can approach the best people in the entire market -- including those who are not currently seeking new employment. It's important to evaluate the differences between search firms when making a selection.

Criteria to evaluate in your selection process should include:

Years in business and archival knowledge of the market.
Tenure of the most experienced person in the office.
Size of their network.
Reputation with candidates and clients similar to your company in size and industry. (i.e., can they get phone calls returned quickly? Are they endorsed by satisfied
clients?)
Policy on visiting client sites.
Understanding of client company, culture, and needs before contacting top talent.
Accessibility.
Ability to integrate with your Human Resources department.
“Chemistry” (i.e. good fit founded on credibility and trust).
Support and/or administrative staff to free up the recruiters’ time to devote to your
assignment.
Resources like research assistants to maintain contact with network of contacts and
track the careers of the top talent.
Candidate references that are thorough and in writing.
Guarantees.
Number of searches your recruiter may be conducting simultaneously.
Ability to commit an appropriate timeframe to complete your assignment.
Organizations they participate in to stay in touch with top talent.
Ability to meet with you personally after each placement to ensure your satisfaction.
Demonstrated interest in your company and your repeat business.
If you think you need to retain a national search firm, seriously consider using a quality, knowledgeable local contingency firm for a few weeks first.

If you think you need to retain a national search firm, please contact BrownThompson Executive Search.